Niels Giffey wasn't counting on playing much at the center position when he came to UConn, but that is where he is needed now and he's pitching in.

"Usually, I'm in there together with DeAndre [Daniels]," Giffey said, "it's more like having two fours [forwards]. It can be good to have two 6-foot-7 guys who have some skills, it's kind of a 'European four,' if you watch European basketball. They play a lot with two fours."

With Enosch Wolf still suspended, Giffey, who was playing with a sore knee on Saturday night, is called on for almost anything. Daniels was in early foul trouble against DePaul, making Giffey even more important. He grinded for 20 minutes, getting 10 points and three rebounds in UConn's 81-69 victory.

"Niels is my utility guy," coach Kevin Ollie said, "I use him at the two-guard, the three, the four, the five. I don't play him at the point, because I have two pretty good point guards. I'm glad he's on my team, a guy who is willing to sacrifice his own goals for the team. Whether I play him three minutes or 30, he's OK with it."

Bumps And Bruises

UConn arrived in Chicagoland with some bumps and bruises, courtesy of the grueling home stretch of the Big East season and the quick-turnaround from its game on Thursday night.

Omar Calhoun's sprained right wrist was a little better, but he still wore a wrap on it. He scored 17 points, often finishing with his left hand on layups, and he made 2 of 5 three-pointers.

"It still hurts," Calhoun said, "but I wasn't thinking about it as much, so I could do more things. I can finish with both hands, anyway."

Shabazz Napier's foot, which has been a problem on and off for a couple of years and required surgery last summer, was bothering him. He twisted it a couple of games back. Late in the game, he landed hard and grabbed the foot, but Calhoun helped him back up and he continued.

"It was bothering me a little bit," said Napier, who scored 28, "but I was able to go right through it."

Ollie Teed-Off

Kevin Ollie got his first technical foul as head coach, as he ventured far out onto the floor protesting a non-call involving Ryan Boatright in the first half.

"[The ref] had to do it," Ollie said. "I lost my mind there. I didn't know where I was, I was almost at midcourt. I don't know why my assistants didn't grab me, so I blame them."

After the game, Shabazz Napier voiced his approval.

"I told everybody, 'Give it up for Coach Ollie,'" Napier said. "He's on his way to being Coach Calhoun now."

Boat's Crew

Boatright, from nearby East Aurora, Ill., had a large group of family and friends at the game. Phil Nolan, from Milwaukee, about an hour's drive, also had family and friends at Allstate Arena. After the game, he was mobbed by them, and his mother, Tanesha, had to pull him away to be interviewed.

"It's great, all the love and attention," Boatright said. "It's all love. I come back in the summer, I talk to kids, I try to do as much as I can for this community." … As usual, there was a contingent of NBA scouts at the game, including the Bulls, Hornets and a scouting service. Napier, of course, was one player being watched, though, one scout said, he remains a second-round projection. Napier said, after the Cincinnati game, that he would sit down with his family and coaches and discuss his decision regarding the draft after the season, which ends on March 9. The decision has to be made in April. DeAndre Daniels, with his size and wingspan, was of interest for future reference. … The Huskies were planning to fly home after the game, so there was some concern about weather at Bradley.